Trainee recognised for outstanding efforts

Jayden D’Vauz wins Group Training WA’s Trainee of the Year Award.

Most people would consider hip surgery major enough to warrant a good long rest, but when AFL SportsReady graduate trainee Jayden D’Vauz was forced to undergo such an operation last year, the 18-year-old virtually took it in his stride.

Three weeks later, and still on crutches, he hobbled back to the WA Football Commission offices, ready to step back into his role as Community Development Trainee.

The example is just one of many his employer at the commission used in nominating Jayden for the Group Training Australia WA Trainee of the Year Award.

Not surprisingly, said AFL SportsReady WA State Manager, Colin West, Jayden took home the award after a ceremony in Fremantle last Friday night.
“Jayden is a mature, friendly and professional young man who has impressed everyone in the WA Football system and at AFL SportsReady WA during his traineeship,” Mr West said.

“He is keen to progress his football and professional careers and is well on the way to achieving both these goals. We are very confident he will have a significant impact on AFL Development in WA in the coming years.”

WAFC Junior Football Manager Troy Kirkham said the organisation was so impressed with the young adult’s work ethic, he not only nominated him for the award but kept him on in a full-time role as Game Development Operations Officer when he completed his traineeship in September.

“Jayden has an outstanding work ethic within the industry and wants to grow and develop himself as a football leader within the West Australian Football Commission,” Mr Kirkham said.

He described Jayden’s eagerness to return to work just three weeks after last year’s hip operation as just one example of his hard work and dedication.

“Still on crutches, Jayden returned to work as, in his own words, he ‘had jobs he needed to get done’. In obvious pain, Jayden did not want to let down his work mates or the WAFC,” Mr Kirkham said.

“On seeing the obvious discomfort that Jayden was in, his manager sent him home and established a way for him to work from home, which he did and completed the required work.”

Mr Kirkham said Jayden, who completed two traineeships over the past two years, including a Certificate III and Certificate IV in Sport and Recreation, regularly signed up for long days at work to get the job done, including volunteering to man the WAFC stand at the Perth Royal Show on Grand Final Day while all his mates were watching the game he loved.

“Throughout the 2012 and 2013 football seasons Jayden undertook work as required on the weekend to assist the operations of half time activities at AFL Games,” Mr Kirkham said.

“He sees this as an opportunity to not only expose himself to another aspect of the business, but also to help him develop further skills.

“Jayden shows excellent initiative for a young man of only 18. He is the type of individual that will see an issue and either take the required steps to rectify it, or will seek out further advice to ensure that the issue is addressed.”
Jayden said he was surprised but proud to have taken home the Trainee of the Year award and was excited about continuing his career with the WAFC.

“I cannot describe how lucky I am to have an opportunity like this,” he said of his traineeship experience.

 “My future plans at the moment are to stay at my current job; I have no intention of finding a new one, I would be crazy to do so. I have so much more I can gain from working at the WAFC and I come to work knowing how great it is and how lucky I am to work here.

“I love my job and really happy where I am so I don’t see myself moving anytime soon.”